The Unseen Realm: Fighting Battles Like Jesus

Quick Glance: For Your Heart Today
From the wilderness to the synagogue, from Gethsemane to the cross — Jesus shows us what it means to fight the battle. He engaged the unseen realm not just once, but again and again across His life. He faced temptation when He was weary. He silenced evil spirits that tried to distract. He discerned false whispers even from those closest to Him. He resisted shortcuts and trusted the Father’s plan, all the way to the cross.

The battles were real. But in every moment, Jesus stood firm. And because He fought and won, we can fight with confidence today — knowing that God is faithful, God is present, and God is victorious.


If You Only Have a Moment
Take a breath and pray this truth today:

Inhale: Lord, help me stand firm
Exhale: The battle belongs to You

Full Sermon Manuscript (Estimated reading time: 27 minutes)

Through this series on The Unseen Realm, we’ve been learning that our battles are not just what we see on the surface. But that there’s a lot more at work. For the last four weeks, we’ve been in training. We began by awakening to the reality of the unseen realm. We learned to discern the movements of consolation and desolation within us. We were challenged to test the spirits of deception vs. the spirits of truth. And last week, we looked at schemes of the enemy like distraction, distortion, doubt, distrust, desolation, deception, and despair.

Today, we’re going to consider how Jesus engaged with the unseen realm. But first, let’s revisit our anchor text, which should be pretty familiar by now. These words have grounded us for the entire series:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Family, this has been our reminder: the battle is real, but as we were just reminded in song, we do not fight alone; the Lord fights with us.

In Piercing the Darkness, there’s a scene when Sally Roe returns to her old apartment to face her demons, you could say. It’s a place filled with pain and shame. There she is, overwhelmed by dark spirits of despair, discouragement, and condemnation. But as she turns to God, their grip begins to weaken, and the weight of darkness she’d been battling begins to slink away.

It’s a vivid picture of the unseen battle we all face. And Jesus knows what it means to face the enemy head-on, too. In the wilderness and throughout His life, we see His example of how to engage in battle with courage and confidence.

Matthew 4:1-11 (NLT)

Jesus had just been baptized. We’re told in scripture that a voice from heaven spoke over Him, saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” That’s the clearest affirmation anyone could ever receive. Then Matthew tells us, right after that: “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Led by the Spirit. Which means this wasn’t some random or rogue excursion, nor was it outside of God’s plan. To the contrary, it was part of Jesus’ preparation for His ministry and mission.

For forty days and nights, Jesus fasts. No food. No comfort. The sun is beating down during the day—nothing but the moon, stars, and the sounds of wild animals in the dark. Given the heat of the day, the wilderness would have come alive at night. Loudly. He’s hungry, tired, alone, and in His humanity, maybe even a little frightened. And that’s when the enemy comes for the battle. How many of you know the enemy likes to attack when we are in our weakest state?

Temptation #1: Stones into Bread

The devil begins: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

It may sound like he’s trying to plant seeds of doubt, and perhaps he is, but that’s not all that’s happening here. The word “if” can also mean “since.”  in the original language. “Since” you are the Son of God. Satan knows who Jesus is, and the Father just affirmed that. Jesus knows who He is. Satan’s trying to twist what that identity means. He’s taunting: “Since you’re God’s Son, why stay hungry? Go ahead — use your power. You don’t have to go through this.”

Now picture Jesus again: forty days without food. His body weak, His stomach in pain, His mind lightheaded. And all around Him, there are stones shaped exactly like little loaves of bread. The temptation is real. The battle is serious.

It’s the same strategy the enemy used with Eve — the fruit was “pleasing to the eye and good for food.” The enemy is fanning a natural and legitimate desire, a basic need in Jesus’ case. But God had already spoken. And Jesus recognized the enemy’s distraction to entice Him to move outside of God’s will.

Jesus wields His sword with God’s truth and resists with, “No! The Scriptures say, People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” He’s quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 — where the children of Israel were reminded during their own wilderness hunger that life and strength don’t come from bread alone, but from God’s Word and presence. Instead of trusting God, they grumbled. Where Eve and Israel stumbled, Jesus stood firm.

Temptation #2: The Temple

Next, the devil takes Him to the highest point and says, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.”

Here, the enemy quotes Scripture — Psalm 91. He knows God’s Word too, but distorts it by using it out of context. This temptation is about more than an incredible stunt to see what God and His angels will do. It’s about a path for instant recognition and authority. If Jesus had jumped and angels had caught Him, the crowds in the Temple Square would have been amazed. He would have had an immediate following.

For this to be a temptation, an actual battle with the enemy, Jesus would have felt the pull of this path. Maybe demonstrating his power and authority at the center of Jewish life was momentarily compelling. Or maybe after 40 days of hunger and loneliness, the thought of angels rescuing Him felt reassuring and comforting in the moment.
 
What’s more, the enemy is twisting and distorting a legitimate ministry vision.  Later in His ministry, Jesus would perform signs and wonders that attract crowds, but this is not the way.

Jesus refuses. He will not doubt His Father or distrust His timing or plan. He draws the sword of the Spirit and responds, “The Scriptures also say, You must not test the Lord your God.” Again, He quotes Deuteronomy 6:16,  when Israel demanded proof of God’s presence even after He had delivered them. Jesus does not make that mistake. He knows God’s Word, trusts God’s promises, and refuses to jump ahead of God’s plan.

Temptation #3: The Kingdoms of the World

Finally, the devil takes Him to a high mountain, shows Him the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and says, “I will give it all to you if you kneel down and worship me.”

Here, the battle strikes at the very heart of Jesus’ mission. Jesus came to establish God’s Kingdom — every tribe and tongue, every people and nation under God’s reign. It’s a breathtaking vision. And the enemy is offering it right here, right now. But it’s all a lie. First, the devil is offering the nations as if they are his to give. And even though he has dominion over the earth now, his offer is void of the cross and without suffering — glory without obedience. He’s offering a shortcut with strings. And no shortcut is ever worth the cost of disobedience.

Jesus rejects it outright: “Get out of here, Satan. For the Scriptures say, You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.”

Each battle escalates: bread for one man, a spectacle before a crowd, the kingdoms of the world. The enemy often works that way — pressing harder, raising the stakes, intensifying the pressure. Sometimes our lives feel the same way. The battle gets worse before the enemy finally moves on. That’s why Ephesians tells us to stand firm. Because when we hold our ground with God, eventually the enemy flees. That’s what happened with Jesus. The text says, “Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.”

So what do we learn from Jesus about fighting battles in His wilderness experience? We see Jesus embodying the very practices we’ve been training in: He recognized the enemy’s schemes. He tested the spirit of deception against the spirit of truth. He fought with the sword of the Spirit, God’s Word. He trusted God’s way and plan and was not seduced by shortcuts. He stood His ground and the enemy left. He experienced the peace of God’s presence in consolation.

And this was just the beginning. As we continue to follow Jesus’ life and ministry, we see that His engagement with the unseen realm wasn’t a one-time battle in the desert — it was part of His daily life. As it is ours.

After the wilderness, the Bible tells us Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit. He had won the battle. But the war wasn’t over. Now His battle with the unseen realm moved into His public ministry.

In Luke 4, we read: “Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon—an evil spirit—cried out, shouting, ‘Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!’ But Jesus reprimanded him. ‘Be quiet! Come out of the man,’ he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further. Amazed, the people exclaimed, ‘What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!’”

Notice the scheme the enemy is using here. The evil spirit knows who Jesus is, but this was not about recognition — it was a disruption. A distraction, right in the middle of Jesus’ teaching. The kind of scheme we’ve been training to recognize. Jesus knows what’s going on, silences the spirit, and commands it to leave.

And as we follow Jesus’ ministry, we see encounters like this were not unusual. Engaging with the unseen realm was part of Jesus’ daily life. He was aware. He recognized. And He responded with whatever was needed in that moment.

For instance, in the region of the Gerasenes, Jesus meets a man tormented by many demons who call themselves “Legion.” Which was understood to mean demons numbering in the thousands. This man had been living among the tombs, chained, isolated, and feared by everyone. But Jesus doesn’t get distracted or overwhelmed by the magnitude. He stays on mission. With Jesus’ command, the man is set free, and he is found clothed, calm, and in his right mind (Mark 5:1–20).

Fighting battles like Jesus means staying focused on our Kingdom mission, with eyes and ears on our General, not allowing ourselves to be distracted or overwhelmed by the “noise” of the battle.

Then there’s the time Jesus’ disciples struggled to cast out an evil spirit. Jesus healed the boy and then taught His followers that, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting.”

Fighting battles like Jesus means depending on God as our source and strength for every battle — and understanding that some battles require even deeper surrender, prayer, and preparation (Mark 9:14–29).

In Matthew 16, Peter insists that Jesus should not go to the cross. But Jesus discerns the false spirit behind those words and says to Peter, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. And He explains to Peter that he is seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s (Matthew 16:21-23).

Fighting battles like Jesus means understanding that sometimes even those closest to us, who love us, who have good intentions, can unknowingly echo the enemy’s whispers — which is why discernment matters.
 
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus made it clear that our battle with the enemy is part of everyday life with God. He teaches us to pray: “And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the evil one.”

Jesus puts the unseen realm on our daily radar and shows that protection and deliverance aren’t occasional requests. Fighting battles like Jesus means praying for protection and strength regularly (Matthew 6:9–13).

From synagogues to the shores of Judea, from crowds to personal conversations, Jesus shows us what it looks like to battle the unseen realm with awareness, wisdom, and trust in God — not afraid, but attentive, discerning, and steadfast.

In Gethsemane, Jesus wrestled with the weight of what was about to happen. He prayed, “Father, if it’s possible, let this cup pass from me… yet not my will, but yours be done.” That was a battle — not only in His humanity but with the unseen realm pressing in.

And then at the cross, everything the enemy could hurl was hurled: shame, violence, abandonment, death itself. From the outside, it looked like defeat. But from heaven’s view, it was victory.

Paul says in Colossians 2:15: “He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross.”

The final word wasn’t defeat. The final word was — and is — victory!

But to be honest, as we fight these battles, it doesn’t always feel like victory. The whispers of the enemy can feel loud. Distraction, desolation, distrust, and despair still show up in our day-to-day lives like little imps.

That’s why Paul doesn’t simply tell us to know the victory of the cross. He calls us to live in it — to stand firm, to fight the battle, and to press forward in prayer and faith.

So, what does fighting battles like Jesus look like today?

In our political world, anger and division are everywhere, and false spirits are thriving. But like Jesus in the wilderness, we fight the battle by refusing to be distracted and holding on to God’s truth. That means refusing to be swept up in fear or fury, but choosing to walk steadily in love, rich in grace, firm in hope — and we pray.

In our families and relationships, battles can be subtle. These aren’t abstract battles; they’re the ones we wake up to every day — words spoken in frustration, a distance that grows, discouragement that settles in. Like Jesus with Peter, we fight the battle by discerning the spirits and not letting the enemy’s whispers take root. That means choosing forgiveness over bitterness, welcoming peace instead of tension, guarding our homes by extending grace — and we pray.

In our personal lives, the battle often comes in quiet moments when false spirits circle that groove in our minds, replaying lies, temptations, or discouragement. And like Jesus in Gethsemane, we fight the battle by trusting the Father’s will, standing firm against the enemy’s schemes, holding fast to God’s truth and promises — and we pray.

Sisters and brothers, when the battle feels close and the whispers feel strong — don’t shrink back. Stand firm. Fight the battle like Jesus — in the wilderness, in the synagogue, in Gethsemane, and at the cross. He stood firm. He endured. He triumphed.

And because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, we can stand firm too.

Whatever battles we may face, we can stand firm simply because God is faithful, God is present, and God is victorious.